Re: now train trip- was Sad cat news

Interesting... and frightening, although chaparral may prove a better CO2 consumer than pine forest.
On Oct 16, 2008, at 4:05 PM, Johnson, Cyndi D Civ USAF AFMC 95 CS/ SCOSI wrote: 


Glad to hear your cat is feeling better.
Re the pine forests, I would be more inclined to agree with your son that they may not come back. The pine bark beetle can cause such damage because of the drought - but with global warming a reality, drought in the West is the new standard weather. Most experts are saying that we will have less water and more heat. Those conditions are not going to be favorable to growing more 
forests.
I recently read a letter to the editor on this subject from someone who has been hiking the Pacific Coast Trail for many years. She wrote that in the past 
15 years, she is seeing more and more burned areas along the trail in
California, and there is no regrowth of forest. Only mountain chaparral and/or 
desert scrub; no pines, no oaks or other trees.

Cyndi

________________________________

From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net on behalf of Aplfgcnys@aol.com
Sent: Wed 10/15/2008 11:56 AM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] now train trip- was Sad cat news
Well, we're back. Sandy seems like her old self. The vet came the day we 
left
and gave her another injection - said she couldn't believe how much she had improved. I'm so thankful, but think it must have been an error at the lab. Anyway, we went and came back - two nights on the train each way. I don't ever want to have to do that again. We had the deluxe suites, but even so there wasn't much room to move around. Our meals were brought to us so that we didn't have to stagger up and down corridors. The showers didn't really work that well, but we were able to clean ourselves. The ride was 
really
rough part of the way, especially at night when the train went much faster than during the day. The layovers in Chicago weren't bad - there is a very nice waiting room for sleeper passengers. They carried our baggage for us and gave us rides to the cars. On the way back we were scheduled for a six- hour layover in Chicago, but the train was four hours late from Denver, and when we got to Chicago they put us right on the train out- we were in the waiting room less than half an hour. Didn't get any supper that night, but 
that
was not a big problem. I'm just thankful to get home and find everything 
right
back here.
Colorado was beautiful, as always. They said the color was at its peak, and 
it's true the aspens were lovely.  We had seen fall colors in the West
before,
and I always remembered aspens as being pure gold. This year there was a lot of pinky-orange color such as I had never seen before. My son who lives there said he had never noticed it before. What would cause this? Weather? 
Soil conditions?
We took a couple of great day-trips - up to Estes Park and across the divide. On the West slope there is a great deal of damage from pine beetles - entire slopes of dead trees. I assured my son that the forests will recover - I've 
seen
such damage in Chincoteague and other places where regrowth was incredibly quick - but he is sure that the area is done for. Of course he is concerned 
from
a real-estate viewpoint since they are considering buying a weekend place in 
the mountains.  And of course Ma wouldn't know anything anyway.
The grandchildren were fun, but after six days I was exhausted. Two more 
days
on the train coming home didn't help. Now I am beginning to catch up bit by 
bit.  Nice to go, but good to be home.
Auralie


In a message dated 9/29/2008 7:52:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
gossiper@sbcglobal.net writes:
How long of a layover in Chgo? I am thinking you will be at union station, 
so
becareful!... Not the greatest part of town. I would offer to come get you, but most likely I will either be working or tending to mother who had hip 
replacement last week.... but you never know!
We did steam engine trains for a week all throughout Colorado. It was the BEST way to see the countryside. (I realize you are doing amtrack or such). 

Donna


--- On Mon, 9/29/08, Aplfgcnys@aol.com <Aplfgcnys@aol.com> wrote:

From: Aplfgcnys@aol.com <Aplfgcnys@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Sad cat news
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 3:37 PM

Thanks so much for all your support and prayers.  The issue is not yet
resolved. Today the vet was surprised at how much better Sandy seemed, so she recommended putting off a final decision. The problem is that we are leaving on Thursday for ten days, and don't want to burden the persons who will be feeding the cats, and also don't want to leave Sandy untended if she is likely to go into a decline. Today she seems like her old self, 
but
the vet says that may end at any time.
Some time ago there was a discussion here of train travel. I didn't pay 
too
much attention since I had no experience to share nor any plans for such 
travel. However, since we have given up our usual semiannual trips to
Chincoteague, Chet has decided that we shoud visit our youngest son in
Colorado. Flying is such a hassle, and he is just not up to the long hikes through airports, so he and #3 son decided we should go by train. This is a major undertaking - involves a layover in Chicago and two nights on the train. We have a reservation in one of the larger rooms, and they promise 
"red hat" service to handle our baggage, etc.  It would have been
less
expensive to fly. Anyway, Chet is quite excited at the prospect. I dread 
it,
but have no choice. I have laid in a stock of mysteries to keep me going. 
At least the visit should be fun.  We are promised that our youngest
granddaughter will play in a soccer game - three-year-old soccer has to be the most absure idea I have heard of in a long time. This three- year-old is 
already competitive - dominates her six-year-old brother completely.
It seems that the Logan girls are the jocks in the family. My older grand- 
daughter, now out of college, has had a go at competitive swimming,
all sorts of horsey sports including barrel racing, and crew at college. The 
boys, unfortunately, have not been outstanding in any positive way.
All that doesn't make our cat problem any easier, but I am trying to take 
it
day to day and see what happens.  Again, thanks for all your support
Auralie
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Island Jim
Willamette Valley
44.99 N 123.04 W
Elevation 148'
39.9" Precipitation
Hardiness Zone 8/9
Heat Zone 5
Sunset Zone 6
Minimum 0 F [-15 C]
Maximum 102 F [39 C]

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